User interface utilizing a computer pointing device with infrared bridge

ABSTRACT

A pointing device integrates an IR transceiver into the pointing device. An infrared communication link may then be established between another device and the IR transceiver on the pointing device. The pointing device then relays communication between the host computer and the other device along its cable to the host computer. A user interface involves placing the cursor of a graphical user interface over an icon or other area of the screen. Communications initiated by the user are then sent to that area of the screen, or an action indicated by the icon is taken.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

[0001] A related copending U.S. patent applications commonly owned bythe assignee of the present document and incorporated by reference inits entirety into this document is being filed in the United StatesPatent and Trademark Office on or about the same day as the presentapplication. This related application is Hewlett-Packard docket number10001665, Ser. No. ______, and is titled “COMPUTER POINTING DEVICE WITHINFRARED COMMUNICATION BRIDGE.”

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0002] This invention relates generally to graphical user interfacesmore particularly to using a graphical user interface with a pointingdevice that provides an infrared data communication link between acomputer and another device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0003] Infrared light (IR) transceivers are a part of many computersystems, peripherals, personal digital assistants (PDA's), and portableelectronic devices such as digital cameras, cellular phones, andhandheld scanners. These IR transceivers allow wireless, line-of-sightcommunication to take place between two devices that are each equippedwith an IR transceiver. For example, a digital camera may be equippedwith an IR transceiver to allow it to download pictures to a computeralso equipped with an IR transceiver. Since the communication iswireless, a user does not have to connect any wires or cables toinitiate a download. Furthermore, since there is no dedicated cable,other IR equipped devices may also communicate with the computer usingthe computer's single IR port. To facilitate the use of IR technology,several key producers and sellers of IR equipped devices and IRtransceivers have teamed up to form an industry standards organization.This organization is The Infrared Data Association (IrDA). IrDA is anInternational Organization headquartered in Walnut Creek, Calif.(www.irda.org) that creates and promotes interoperable, low costinfrared data interconnection standards that support a walk-up,point-to-point user model. These standards support a broad range ofappliances, computing and communications devices.

[0004] Many of the IR transceivers on devices today are located on themain chassis. In the case of a personal computer, this means the IRtransceiver is located on the CPU enclosure. However, because ofshrinking offices, and decreasing availability of desk space, many userswould like to locate the CPU enclosure off of the desktop. This presentsa problem with IR equipped computers because the IR transceiver on theCPU enclosure is no longer in a position that is convenient for line-ofsight communication. Furthermore, even when the CPU enclosure is placedon the desktop, other peripherals (such a keyboard) or desktop clutter(such as soda cans, or loose papers) may obscure the IR transceiver orthey may prevent the other device from being placed in a convenientplace that has a clear line-of-sight path to the IR transceiver on theCPU enclosure.

[0005] A solution to many of these problems is described in a relatedapplication titled “COMPUTER POINTING DEVICE WITH INFRARED COMMUNICATIONBRIDGE” Ser. No. ______, Hewlett-Packard docket number 10001665-1, filedon or about the same day as the present application and assigned to thesame assignee as the present application. This application discloses acomputer mouse or other moveable computer pointing device with anintegrated IR transceiver.

[0006] However, the integration of the IR transceiver into the pointingdevice does not address the problem of an easy to use and intuitive userinterface for transferring data between the other device and the hostcomputer via the IR transceiver in the pointing device.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] An embodiment of a user interface incorporating the inventioninvolves placing the cursor of a graphical user interface over an iconor other area of the screen. When communications are initiated by theuser, then the data sent across the infrared interface is placed in thatarea of the screen, or, if the area of the screen was an icon, an actionindicated by the icon is taken.

[0008] Other aspects and advantages of the invention will becomeapparent from the following detailed description, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings, illustrating by way of example theprinciples of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0009]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a computer mouse with an integratedIR transceiver to bridge communication between an IR link and a cablelink to a host computer.

[0010]FIG. 2 is an illustration of a computer mouse with an integratedIR transceiver oriented to communicate with another device.

[0011]FIG. 3 is an illustration showing several screen elements that mayappear in a graphical user interface.

[0012]FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating steps to direct data receivedover an IR transceiver on a computer pointing device to the location, ortake the action, indicated by the position of the cursor on a GUI.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013]FIG. 1 is an illustration of a computer mouse with an integratedIR transceiver to bridge communication between an IR link and a cablelink to a host computer. In FIG. 1, mouse 102 includes buttons 104 and106. Mouse 102 also includes an integrated IR transceiver that sends andreceives data using infrared light through IR transparent window 110.Mouse cable 108 is an interface to the host computer that electricallyconnects the mouse to a host computer providing a communication pathbetween the computer and the mouse. Alternatively, this interface couldbe wireless using radio waves or other form of wireless communication.Integrated IR transceiver includes an IR transmitter 112 and an IRreceiver 114.

[0014] When oriented properly, the integrated IR transceiver included inmouse 102 can establish and IR communication link with another IRequipped device. Data sent and received via this link is relayed viacable 108 to and from a host computer. The host computer controls the IRtransceiver included in mouse 102 just as if the IR transceiver was onthe host computer chassis. Cable 108 may include more wires than astandard mouse cable with these extra wires carrying data to and fromthe IR transceiver. Alternatively, data to and from the IR transceivermay take place using the existing serial lines but with some protocolextensions to differentiate mouse data from IR transceiver data.

[0015]FIG. 2 is an illustration showing an example orientation of acomputer mouse with an integrated IR transceiver communicating withanother device. Mouse 102 includes buttons 104 and 106 an integrated IRtransceiver, IR transparent window 110, and cable 108. Device 202 withan IR transceiver and IR transparent window 210 is placed in aconvenient location. Mouse 102 is placed and oriented so that IRtransparent window 110 and IR transparent window 210 have aline-of-sight relationship. This allows the integrated IR transceiversin mouse 102 and device 202 to establish communication.

[0016]FIG. 3 helps illustrate a user interface for use with a mouse withan integrated IR transceiver. In FIG. 3, there are several elements thatmay appear in a typical graphical user interface (GUI). A cursor 300 ismoved around the screen or window of the GUI. The screen or window ofthe GUI is also divided into three sections 302, 304, 306. Section 302is a tool bar that contains buttons 322, 324, 326, 328 with iconrepresentations of several actions that may be taken. For example,button 322 shows an icon of a disk. The action taken when this button isactivated would be to save something to a disk. Button 324 shows an iconof a clipboard. The action taken when this button is activated would beto copy something to the clipboard. Button 326 shows a recycle symbol.The action taken when this button is activated would be to move it tothe recycle bin. Button 328 shows an icon of a telephone. The actiontaken when this button is activated might be to send a copy of an itemvia facsimile or modem.

[0017] Section 304 shows a listing of files. In 304, these are shown ina text form. However, this listing could also take the form of iconicrepresentations. Section 308 is an entry box. Section 308 containssubsection 362 where text is displayed as the user types it or otherobjects (such as pictures) may be displayed when the user indicates insome appropriate manner that they should be inserted.

[0018] The user interface for use with a mouse with an integrated IRtransceiver involves sending the file or other data communicated via theintegrated IR transceiver on the mouse to the application or objectrepresented by the GUI that is underneath the current location of thecursor. For example, say the user is writing a document into entry box308 and wants to insert an image from a digital camera into thedocument. The user would locate the mouse somewhere over subsection 362and then send the image to the host computer via the IR transceiverintegrated into the mouse. Buttons or other user interface devices onthe camera or host computer keyboard could be used to initiate thetransfer without disturbing the position of the mouse. Another examplewould be attaching a file from a PDA to a file on the host computer.This would involve placing the cursor over the filename (or icon) of thefile on the host computer and then initiating the transfer. In FIG. 3,the cursor would be posistioned over a filename in the list of section304 and then initiating the transfer. A last example would be to takesome action with the data immediately. This would involve placing thecursor over a button or icon representing that action and theninitiating the transfer. In FIG. 3, the cursor would be placed over oneof the buttons of section 302 and then the transfer initiated. If thecursor was placed over button 322 the host computer would save thetransferred data to disk. If the cursor was placed over button 324 thehost computer would send the data to the clipboard. If the cursor wasplaced over button 326 the data would be sent to the recycle bin to bethrown away. Finally, if the cursor was placed over button 328 the datamight be sent via a modem or faxed.

[0019]FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating steps to direct data receivedover an IR transceiver on a computer pointing device to the location, ortake the action, indicated by the position of the cursor on a GUI. In astep 402, the user interface program waits for communication to beinitiated by the user. The user may initiate communication through akeyboard command on the host computer, or a button or other user inputmeans on the other IR equipped device. In a step 404, the position ofthe cursor with respect to what graphical object or screen area isdetermined. It is this position that determines what action will betaken, what application needs to process the incoming data, and wherethat data needs to be stored, and how it is going to be processed. In astep 406, the communicated data is processed according to the graphicalobject or screen area the cursor was over when the communication wasinitiated.

[0020] From the foregoing it will be appreciated that the inventionprovides a novel and advantageous interface for handling data from an IRcommunication bridge. This interface combines the unique features of anIR communication bridge on a computer pointing device with the ease ofuse of a graphical user interface. This interface also helps preventdisturbance of the line-of-sight communication between the bridge andthe other IR equipped device by not requiring the pointing device betouched to initiate the desired processing of the data beingcommunicated.

[0021] Although a specific embodiment of the invention has beendescribed and illustrated, the invention is not to be limited to thespecific forms or arrangements of parts so described and illustrated.The invention is limited only by the claims.

What is claimed is:
 1. A computer operable method, comprising:initiating communication between an IR equipped device and a computerpointing device with an IR bridge; determining what graphical object ofa graphical user interface a cursor is positioned over; and, processingdata according to what said graphical object represents.
 2. The methodof claim 1 wherein said graphical object comprises an icon and saidprocessing comprises taking an action represented by said icon.
 3. Themethod of claim 1 wherein said graphical object comprises a screen areaand said processing comprises transferring between said IR equippeddevice and said screen area.
 4. The method of claim 1 wherein saidgraphical object represents a file and said processing comprisestransferring said file between said IR equipped device and a hostcomputer.
 5. The method of claim 1 wherein said initiating communicationdoes not involve a user interfacing with said computer pointing devicewith an IR bridge.
 6. The method of claim 1 wherein said initiatingcommunication comprises a user action on said IR equipped device and noton said computer pointing device with an IR bridge.
 7. A program storagemedium readable by a computer, tangibly embodying a program ofinstructions executable by the computer to perform method steps fortransferring data via a computer pointing device with an integrated IRbridge, said method steps comprising: initiating communication betweenan IR equipped device and said computer pointing device with saidintegrated IR bridge; determining what graphical object of a graphicaluser interface a cursor is positioned over; and, processing data sentvia said integrated IR bridge according to what said graphical objectrepresents.
 8. The program storage medium of claim 7 wherein saidgraphical object comprises an icon and said processing comprises takingan action represented by said icon.
 9. The program storage medium ofclaim 7 wherein said graphical object comprises a screen area and saidprocessing comprises transferring between said IR equipped device anddisplaying a representation of said data in said screen area.
 10. Theprogram storage medium of claim 7 wherein said graphical objectrepresents a file and said processing comprises transferring said filebetween said IR equipped device and a host computer.
 11. The programstorage medium of claim 7 wherein said initiating communication does notinvolve a user interfacing with said computer pointing device with an IRbridge.
 12. The program storage medium of claim 7 wherein saidinitiating communication comprises a user action on said IR equippeddevice and not on said computer pointing device with an IR bridge. 13.An user interface for transferring data between a host computer andanother device via an infrared link, comprising: an infrared bridgeintegrated into a pointing device communicating with said host computer;a graphical user interface running on said host computer wherein saidgraphical user interface executes at least one function of a pluralityof possible functions relating to data that is transferred via saidinfrared link in response to the initiation of a data transfer over saidinfrared link.
 14. The user interface of claim 13 wherein the positionof a cursor displayed on a display screen determines at least onefunction of said plurality of possible functions that is executed. 15.The user interface of claim 14 wherein said at least one function is tostore said data in a file and said position of said cursor displayed isover an icon.
 16. The user interface of claim 14 wherein said at leastone function is to insert an object and said position of said cursor isover an entry box area.
 17. The user interface of claim 14 wherein saidat least one function is to transfer data from said host computer tosaid another device and said position of said cursor is over arepresentation of a filename.
 18. The user interface of claim 14 whereinsaid at least one function is to transfer data to said host computerfrom said another device and said position of said cursor is over arepresentation of a filename.